The story of New Zealand's response to its second most powerful earthquake on record

Described by Geonet as one of the most complex earthquakes ever observed, RNZ's Vicky McKay was first to report on its violence, broadcasting live in the Wellington studio when 7.8 arrived by stealth at 12.02am. As intermittent reports came in from as far north as Auckland and south to Gore, confusion reigned and New Zealanders were asked to turn on public radio for live updates. Reporters for the national broadcaster scrambled - and leading the way was veteran journalist Phil Pennington, part of the first team to arrive in the damage zone. Surviving 7.8 relives the drama from the moment it struck to the remarkable, horrifying, yet fascinating events that followed, and the typically Kiwi response to a disaster of unbelievable scale.

Throughout the narrative are quotes, tweets, Facebook posts and stories from everyday New Zealanders - the immediate reaction, the uncertainty, the turmoil, to the roll-your-sleeves-up, let's-get-on-with-it, do-it-yourself attitude that New Zealanders are known for. From Gary Melville, who used bricks that fell off his house to cook a lamb roast, to the Christchurch man who rallied to save the lives of thousands of paua; to the Rakautara residents stranded between two massive landslides, to the farmer who lent Phil Pennington his ute to get around the disaster zone, Surviving 7.8 captures the events and the sometimes bizarre twists and turns in a tough but fascinating study in resilience.

Shelf wear.